The baseball card collecting hobby has been around since the late 1880s and has grown into a billion dollar industry. Some of the most well-known companies that have produced baseball cards over the years include:

American Tobacco Company (ATC) – One of the earliest manufacturers of baseball cards, ATC inserted cards into cigarettes starting in 1886 with the Goodwin & Company set. In 1909, they launched the T206 set which is one of the most valuable vintage card sets today. ATC produced cards until 1952 when health concerns about tobacco led to the end of their card division.

Bowman Gum – Founded in 1929, Bowman Gum quickly became a leader in the baseball card market. Some of their most iconic sets include the 1948 and 1949 issues. In 1956, Topps bought out Bowman and acquired the rights to their players, effectively ending Bowman’s run as a card maker.

Topps – Formed in 1938, Topps entered the baseball card market in 1951 and has been the dominant force ever since. Some of their landmark sets include the 1952, 1954, and 1957 issues. In 2007, The Topps Company merged with candy maker Bazooka Brands and spun off their non-sports assets. Topps remains the exclusive MLB license holder.

Fleer – Founded in 1881, Fleer got into the baseball card business in 1956. They were the first competitor to Topps and produced innovative sets like the 1960 and 1961 issues that featured player profiles on the back. In 1981, Fleer lost its MLB license and left the baseball card market. They returned in 1988 but were bought out by Topps in 1992.

Donruss – Donruss launched its baseball card line in 1981, becoming the first competitor to Topps in 25 years. Some of their notable early sets included the 1981, 1983, and 1985 issues. In the late 1980s, Donruss gained popularity with inserts and parallels. They lost MLB rights in 1992 and were acquired by Playoff Corporation in 1996.

Upper Deck – Founded in 1988, Upper Deck revolutionized the industry by using cutting edge graphics and premium card stock quality. Their highly successful 1989 baseball card issue helped spark the early 1990s card boom. Upper Deck held the MLB license from 1989-1995 and produced some of the most valuable modern rookie cards. They remain a force in sports and entertainment cards.

Score – Score entered the baseball card market in 1989, becoming the third modern competitor to Topps. They gained notoriety for innovative sets featuring on-card autographs in the early 1990s before losing MLB rights in 1995. Score continued producing regional sets into the 2000s before leaving the baseball card industry.

Leaf – Leaf debuted in 1991 with a license from the MLB Players Association for retired players. They produced some popular sets in the early 1990s before gaining an MLB license from 1996-2000. Leaf focused on parallels, memorabilia cards, and inserts during their run before losing baseball rights. They continue producing other sports cards.

Pacific – Pacific held the MLBPA license from 1992-1996 and produced affordable, mass-produced sets. They gained notoriety in the mid-1990s for innovative inserts before losing their licensing deal. Pacific has since focused on other sports and non-sports trading cards.

In the modern era, Topps remains the exclusive MLB license holder since losing competition in the late 1990s. Companies like Panini America have gained popularity producing regional and collegiate sets without MLB rights since 2008. The billion dollar baseball card industry continues to evolve with inserts, parallels, and new technologies – but it all started with those early tobacco companies over 130 years ago.